Week 10 capsules for New Orleans area games

ST. MARTIN’S (4-4, 4-0) at COUNTRY DAY (8-1, 4-0)Time: 3:30 p.m.Last week: St. Martin’s beat CrescentCity, 37-0. Country Day beat Ridgewood, 50-14.Last year:St. Martin’s won, 7-3.Worth noting: District 10-1A championship game for a second consecutive season. St. Martin’s needs a victory, in this always an emotional contest, to solidify a spot in the playoffs. The Saints are ranked No. 27 in the unofficial power ratings, but would be guaranteed a playoff berth as a district champion. Country Day is already assured of a postseason bid but must win to maintain a place among the top 16 teams that host first-round games.Pick: Country Day 14-10

COHEN (0-8, 0-5) vs. CARVER (5-3, 2-3)Time: 3:30 p.m.Place: Pan American Stadium.Last week: Wright beat Cohen, 37-12. South Plaquemines beat Carver, 36-34.Last year: Carver won, 26-12.Worth noting: District 9-2A game. The Green Hornets scored a season-high 12 points last week and almost matched their previous season total of 18. Carver is looking to bounce back from a tough loss last week. Quarterback Joey Louis is sixth in the New Orleans area with 1,619 passing yards and also has 19 touchdowns. Louis is also in the top 20 in the area in rushing with 656 yards. Running back and Ole Miss commitment Eugene Brazley has 995 rushing yards while wide receiver and Alabama commitment Raheem Falkins has 29 catches for 556 yards and eight touchdowns.Pick: Carver 54-6

THOMAS JEFFERSON (6-2) vs. BEN FRANKLIN (2-6)Time: 5:30 p.m.Place: FisherLast week: Thomas Jefferson beat Ben Franklin, 21-12.Last year: Thomas Jefferson won, 27-3.Worth noting: Crescent City Conference playoff game. This is a rematch of last week’s game that had no bearing on seeding. The winner will play the winner of King-Fisher in the CCC bowl game next week. Jaguars quarterback Jheren Love threw for 108 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 110 yards and another touchdown. Thomas Jefferson has won four consecutive games while Ben Franklin has dropped six games in a row.Pick: Thomas Jefferson 28-6

CURTIS (8-0, 5-0) at SOUTH PLAQUEMINES (7-1, 5-0)Time: 7 p.m.Last week: Curtis beat Clark, 55-0. South Plaquemines beat Carver, 36-34.Last year: Curtis won, 55-6.Worth noting: District 9-2A game. The Patriots remain the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in the RivalsHigh 100. Curtis has rushed for 1,862 yards, good for a 232.8 average but the leading rusher on the team is senior Tevin Horton with 394 yards. Horton, Sherman Badie and Raekwon James all have seven rushing touchdowns. The Patriots enter on a 22-game winning streak. South Plaquemines running back Andrew Barthelemy had 11 rushes for 174 yards and three touchdowns against the Rams while Joseph Gibson had 127 yards, two touchdowns and three two-point conversions.Pick: Curtis 42-16

DE LA SALLE (5-3, 2-1) vs. REED (0-8, 0-3)Time: 7 p.m.Place: Pan American Stadium.Last week: De La Salle beat Covenant Christian, 35-0. Lusher beat Reed, 2-0 (Forfeit).Last year: De La Salle won, 50-14.Worth noting: District 10-3A game. Cavaliers running back Anthony Davis did a little bit of everything last week and earned NOLA.com small schools player of the week honors for his efforts. He rushed for 101 yards, had four receptions for 89 yards and also had 49 yards passing. The Cavaliers clinch second place with a victory. Reed had defeated Lusher 24-20 last week but the Olympians were ruled to have had played three ineligible players this season and were forced to forfeit all three of their wins.Pick: De La Salle 42-12

McDONOGH 35 (4-5, 2-2) at BELLE CHASSE (3-5, 1-3)Time: 7 p.m.Last week: Karr beat McDonogh 35, 35-8. Belle Chasse beat Cox, 43-40.Last year: McDonogh 35 won, 34-22.Worth noting: The Roneagles need a victory to put themselves into the high 20s for the power rankings and avoid one of the top teams in Class 4A in the bi-district round of the playoffs. The Cardinals offense got going last week with Dylan Parker rushing for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Parker also completed 5-of-6 passes for 48 yards. Devin Sylve had 138 yards and two touchdowns for Belle Chasse who snapped a five-game losing streak.Pick: McDonogh 35 30-20

O.P. WALKER (6-1, 3-1) vs. KARR (8-0, 4-0)Time: 7 p.m.Place: Behrman Stadium.Last week: Shaw beat O.P. Walker, 24-20. Karr beat McDonogh 35, 35-8.Last year: Karr won, 21-12.Worth noting: The Chargers will be dealing with injuries at three key positions. Quarterback Li’Jon Cordier has a broken bone in his non-throwing hand that will make him a game-time decision while linebacker/defensive end Lyn Clark has a shoulder injury that makes him questionable as well. Running back Melvin Russell has a dislocated elbow and will not play. Karr, ranked No. 30 in the nation by RivalsHigh, will turn to "Speedy" Noil to lead the offense that is averaging 37.7 points in the last three games. Defensive back Noel Ellis could also see some time at wide receiver for the second week in a row.Pick: Karr 24-12

HOLY CROSS (6-2, 3-0) vs. EAST JEFFERSON (7-1, 2-1)Time: 7 p.m.Place: Joe Yenni Stadium.Last week: Holy Cross beat Riverdale, 41-16 East Jefferson beat St. Augustine, 26-21.Last year:East Jefferson won, 31-13.Worth noting: District 10-4A championship game. These teams tied for No. 10 in this week’s Class 4A state rankings and are ranked No. 6 and 8 among local large schools. Both are virtually guaranteed a first-round home game in the playoffs with Holy Cross currently ranked No. 6 and East Jeff No. 7. The visiting Tigers are trying to cap a remarkable turnaround from its 2-8, 1-3 record a year ago. Junior quarterback James Tabary is expected to start for Holy Cross after sitting out the Riverdale game with a bruised shoulder. East Jefferson is shooting for a share of its first district title since 2005. The Warriors’ double slot option, led by fullback Ronald Green (102-979-16 TDs) and quarterback Eugene Wells (77-908-12 TDs), has proven difficult to defend.Pick: Holy Cross 28-27

RIDGEWOOD (0-7, 0-4) at HOUMA CHRISTIAN (4-3, 2-2)Time: 7 p.m.Place: Warrior Field, Houma.Last week: Country Day beat Ridgewood, 50-14. Houma Christian beat Haynes, 47-31.Last year:Houma Christian won, 46-24.Worth noting: District 10-1A game. Ridgewood has lost 20 consecutive games and is trying avoid a second consecutive winless season. If the season ended today, Houma Christian, at No. 33 in the unofficial power ratings, would be left out of the state playoffs.Pick:Houma Christian 46-12.

MILLER-McCOY (0-7) at CHALMETTE (1-7)Time: 7 p.m.Last week: Lakeshore beat Miller-McCoy, 56-20. West Jefferson beat Chalmette, 29-7.Last year:Chalmette won, 35-33.Worth noting: Non-district game. The host Owls completed a second consecutive winless season in District 9-5A play last week. Unofficially, Miller-McCoy is 1-7 on the field. However, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association does not recognize its 76-62 victory against Madison Prep two weeks ago.Pick:Chalmette 28-26.

HAYNES (4-4) at ASCENSION EPISCOPAL (0-8)Time: 7 p.m.Place:Lafayette.Last week:Houma Christian beat Haynes, 47-31. Vermilion Catholic beat Ascension Episcopal, 48-2.Last year: Ascension Episcopal won, 36-35.Worth noting: Non-district game. Haynes needs a victory to secure its first winning season. The Yellow Jackets are in their fourth year of varsity competition. Haynes had a three-game winning streak broken by Houma Christian last week. Ascension Episcopal from District 8-1A has surrendered at least 41 points in each of its last six games.Pick: Haynes 34-12

RIVERDALE (2-6, 0-3) vs. EASTON (4-4, 1-2)Time: 7:30 p.m.Place: Tad Gormley Stadium.Last week: Holy Cross beat Riverdale, 41-16. Easton beat Covington, 35-26.Last year:Easton won, 40-6.Worth noting: District 10-4A game. Easton showed no ill effects from a 35-34 loss to Holy Cross two weeks ago in dispatching a then 6-1 Covington team. Barring an upset, the Eagles are all but assured of a playoff berth, entering as a No. 27 seed according to the unofficial rankings. With two losses coming by a total of six points, Easton easily could be 6-2 and preparing to host a first-round playoff game as a top 16 seed.Pick:Easton 48-16.

FISHER (2-6) vs. KING (4-4)Time: 8 p.m.Place: FisherLast week: King beat Fisher, 24-6.Last year: Fisher won, 28-7.Worth noting: Crescent City Conference playoff game. This is a rematch of last week’s game that just determined who would be the home team this week. The winner will play the winner of Thomas Jefferson-Ben Franklin in the CCC bowl game next week. Fisher is the defending CCC champion. King running back Justin Jones had 14 carries for 140 yards and a touchdown and four catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns last week.Pick: King 20-14

SATURDAY'S GAMES

WEST JEFFERSON (6-2, 2-1) vs. JESUIT (7-1, 2-1)Time: 11 a.m.Place: Tad Gormley Stadium.Last week: West Jefferson beat Chalmette, 29-7. Rummel beat Jesuit, 38-17.Last year: Jesuit won, 29-28.Worth noting: District 9-5A game. Despite losing to Rummel, Jesuit still projects as a No. 5 seed in the 5A playoffs, according to unofficial power ratings. The Blue Jays are virtually assured of finishing among the top 16 teams and hosting a first-round playoff game. West Jefferson is rated No. 22 and likely taking to the road for its playoff opener. The visiting Buccaneers have won two straight since suffering a 40-9 loss to Rummel. The Blue Jays had a 17-game winning streak in regular season broken by Rummel.Pick:West Jefferson 29-28